Season ends with shot at No. 2 seed

The Patriots fell to the Tigers earlier this season, 3-1, when the teams squared off in Dillon Gym on March 1. Princeton received outstanding performances from senior captain and outside hitter Peter Eichler and junior setter Brandon Denham. Eichler recorded 20 kills, while Denham kept the offense sharp with 55 assists.

Since then, George Mason has notched impressive home wins, most notably against the top team in the nation, Penn State, dealing the Nittany Lion squad its first and only loss of the season.

Eichler knows not to underestimate the Patriots after losing six close games in their two matchups last season.

“George Mason is a very strong team, and they’ve already proven that by upsetting the No. 1 team in the nation, Penn State, earlier this year,” Eichler said.

Last season, a No. 4 seed in the tournament led to a semifinal matchup with the Nittany Lions. If the Tigers are able to secure a No. 2 seed or hold at the No. 3 seed, they will be placed on the opposite side of the bracket from Penn State, setting up a potential division final against the juggernaut.

Having lost all but two of its road games this season, Princeton will square off against a George Mason team that has dominated at home, dropping only one game early in the season to Ball State.

“We are going into the game [tonight] knowing that if we play our game we can beat them,” junior outside hitter Phil Rosenberg said. “We already beat them earlier in the season at home, but we know that they are a very competitive team, and it will be difficult to keep the momentum going in their loud and crowded gym.”

The crowd and momentum may prove to be the deciding factors. A strong start will be key for the Tigers to take what is sure to be a large crowd out of the equation. Volleyball is by nature a game of runs, a phenomenon that is exacerbated by a vociferous crowd. Princeton has certainly been benefited by its small but dedicated fan base in Dillon this year, so the Tigers know exactly what they are up against.

“Penn State lost their only match of the season at George Mason, which shows how difficult of a place it is to play at,” Rosenberg added.

“Beating a tough George Mason team on the road is going to take energy, focus and discipline, and we are going to have to prepare at a high level and perform at an even higher one if we are to do so,” Eichler said.

A win this weekend will be great preparation for the upcoming playoffs, but the greatest benefits of a win may not be the seeding.

“Being seeded third or fourth is less important than proving to ourselves that we can win in a tough road environment, something that George Mason absolutely is,” Eichler said.

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The Tigers have shown that they are capable of battling the best teams in the league, taking a game off Penn State back on March 8.

To defeat George Mason on its home turf, the Tigers will need to play flawlessly, cutting back on the serving woes that have plagued the team. If they are able to perform in a hostile environment, they will be primed for a playoff run, one of the team’s long-term goals for the season.

“The EIVA Final Four is a weekend filled with excellent teams in a road environment,” Eichler said, “so beating George Mason in their house would, I think, be a tremendous boost to our confidence in that atmosphere and prepare us well for the task.”